After a strong showing since the US Team Trials and 5th place finish in Rio, Frank Molinaro is now ranked #6 in the world at 65 kg for freestyle. It’s a shame he couldn’t get the bronze against World Champion Frank Chamizo but he can hold his head high.

Mark Hall, incoming freshman (though he will redshirt), won the Junior World Championships at 74 kg for freestyle. He won the final with a tech fall after just 29 seconds.

Former ISU wrestler, trained at Nittany Lion Wrestling Club and Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner has been hired as an assistant coach, while Frank will pursuit his freestyle career.

After a strong showing since the US Team Trials and 5th place finish in Rio, Frank Molinaro is now ranked #6 in the world at 65 kg for freestyle. It’s a shame he couldn’t get the bronze against World Champion Frank Chamizo but he can hold his head high.

Mark Hall, incoming freshman (though he will redshirt), won the Junior World Championships at 74 kg for freestyle. He won the final with a tech fall after just 29 seconds.

Former ISU wrestler, trained at Nittany Lion Wrestling Club and Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner has been hired as an assistant coach, while Frank will pursuit his freestyle career.

After a strong showing since the US Team Trials and 5th place finish in Rio, Frank Molinaro is now ranked #6 in the world at 65 kg for freestyle. It’s a shame he couldn’t get the bronze against World Champion Frank Chamizo but he can hold his head high.

Mark Hall, incoming freshman (though he will redshirt), won the Junior World Championships at 74 kg for freestyle. He won the final with a tech fall after just 29 seconds.

Former ISU wrestler, trained at Nittany Lion Wrestling Club and Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner has been hired as an assistant coach, while Frank will pursuit his freestyle career.

Craziest thing is, 8 of those 10 spots are underclassmen. Even crazier, Mark Hall is not even in the lineup yet !!!

Lordy, does the future ever look bright !!!

I would say the future of Penn State and USA wrestling looks pretty freaking bright right now.

At 50 kg is Spencer Lee (Iowa commit, sad face), who has won Cadet Worlds 1x and Jr. Worlds 2x. PSU lost out on him likely because his coach wrestled for Iowa.

At 65 kg is Zain Retherford, defending national champion, who ended 3rd in US Team Trials despite only being a redshirt sophomore this year, and got the opportunity to train with the USA Wrestling Team in Colorado Springs. I think he has a good chance to give PSU their first Olympic medalist in wrestling.

At 74 kg is Mark Hall (PSU commit), who is coming off a Jr. Worlds championship and went 2-2 in the US Team Trials as an 18 year old. He could very well end up being a 4x national champion and I wouldn’t be surprised at all.

At 86 kg is J’Den Cox (Missouri rising Senior), who is coming off his 2nd national title and a bronze medal in Rio. However, he might try football after this year, and that could certainly impact his wrestling weight and career if he wants to pursuit wrestling further.

At 97 kg is Kyle Snyder (Ohio State rising junior), who is coming off a gold medal in Rio and is already a former Worlds champion. He’s also USA’s youngest Olympic gold medalist ever.

I’ve been so obsessed with basketball … and other stuff … that this sneaked past me.

It was a fantastic match. I rushed home after the hockey game to watch my recording of it.

Lot’s going on in Iowa City.

Suriano lost a match for the first time since BEFORE high school. It was to the #1 ranked wrestler and Nick had a couple of chances to win the match in the third period but he just couldn’t finish.

Jimmy Gulibon looked to be on his way to another confusing loss when he suddenly put on a helluva gutty rally to come from well behind and pull out the win.

Zain Retherford, who so far this year has looked absolutely unbeatable, looked flat and almost lost to a kid that he’s handled easily before. Zain pulled it out in double OT.

Mark Hall’s redshirt was pulled and he made a very inauspicious debut as he lost to a kid you would have expected him to be able to handle easily. Then again, the first time that true freshman David Taylor wrestled wearing a PSU singlet he looked quite human too.

Bo Nickal’s spladle that he pulled off was down right nasty and completely silenced the Carver Hawkeye crowd. Loved this look by a couple of Iowa kids matside

My brother in law said Zain was sick on Saturday and that’s why he looked so human. I have no other source but I know my brother in law follows wrestling closely and I don’t think he’d just make that up.

Any possible lingering doubt about which college wrestling team is No. 1 was put to rest in convincing fashion at Oklahoma State on Sunday. Losses by default, major decision and regular decision in the opening three bouts resulted in a...